Authentic Science Fiction Monthly, No. 56 — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

STRANGE SUICIDE “But why?” “Can you wait until their report comes through, please, sir? If my theory is wrong, of course, then they'll find noth- ing but the things they’d ex- pect to find, but if it’s right then there should be enough evidence in the ash to tell me what I want to know.” Ten minutes later the report came through from the coroner, who, acting on Kris- tofr’s instructions, had put all the ash from the cremated body of the late Dr. Robt Jaksn under the electronically operated analyzer. “But—but wiat on earth does it mean?’ stammered General Lee, after the visor had been switched off. “A fused mass of metal found in the furnace . . . I just don’t understand.”’ Kristofr smiled slightly. “‘It was what I had expected, sir,”’ he announced, softly. “That fused mass of metal was the ‘brain’ of Robt Jaksn—only it wasn’t his. brain. The body was Jaksn’s, yes, brain was a transplanted posi- tronic machine geared to emit neuronic vibrations 23 but the corresponding with those of Jaksn, yet never exceeding the Detector’s danger level. That’s why the Detector never regis- tered the suicide—if you can call it suicide when a man with a robot brain pumps himself—or itsel/f—full of GT.66.” General Lee stared. “But what’s happened to the...” Kristofr nodded. “Quite, sir. That’s what we’ve got to find out—if it’s not too late already.” o 82 9 ‘HE TWO MEN FACED EACH Other, their tenseness em- phasised by the complete silence of the consulting room. *““What—what do you mean?” the man called Lorens asked at last. “What do you mean ‘if man is quite the right word’ ?” Dr. MIkl AndrUz leaned back against his desk, smiling. The relief that took the place oftension softened his features, warmed the blueness of his eyes. “If I told you, you wouldn’t believe me, Lorens,”’ he said. ““Not in your present condition, anyway. The best thing we can do is get your conmmicloooks.com